"So that's how we found the Great Rocky Mountain Geocache," explained Abed. "It was stored in a water tight container in the middle of a limestone hollow. We opened it there, took some prizes, and scanned the QR Code. Congratulations, Study Group, we are the first ever to recover the cache."

There was some whooping and cheers from the group gathered around the fire.

Jeff checked the site on his cellophane. "Oh, look," he said, "we got comments already. It looks like a full ninety percent think we cheated."

"Whoop! Up top!" yelped Annie, giving Jeff a high five.

"I don't know how anyone is ever going to follow up to verify, though," said Dean Pelton. "My geocache may have been eaten by a ... ravenous beast."

"Yeah," said Annie, a dawning realization growing on her face. "I think ours mighta drowned."

"I think ours might've died in a fire," Shirley tittered in her high-pitched voice.

"That's not funny," said Britta, "I almost died in that fire playing this dumb game."

Annie sniffed her. "Do you smell like pot?"

Britta rolled her eyes. "I don't know... do you smell like damp laundry?" Annie blushed, which caused Britta to narrow her eyes a little.

"I almost got eaten by a bear," said Dean Pelton. "Well, not really. It was a wolf. Though, not really. But I did smash my no-no's, and it was really very unpleasant."

"Do you want to add anything, Pierce?" asked Jeff. "Namely, why you're in boxers and a 'Free Mumia' shirt?"

"No," said Pierce, shaking his head. "I had a pretty great day. I got laid. Not by the Dean," he clarified, when he noticed some questioning glances going around the campfire.

"I guess," said Britta. "I got to see a side of Shirley I never got to see before."

"Mr. T?" asked Troy.

"What? No! More awesome," she said, hugging Shirley around the shoulders.

"What about you, Jeffrey?" Shirley said. "Any interesting stories happen on the way to Deadman's Valley? You and Annie seem to be on better terms now."

Jeff and Annie glanced at each other. The last traces of animosity were gone. But... there was something pretty hot about running a "forbidden" relationship.

"We just talked," she said, laughing nervously. "Got the aggression out of our system."

"Yes," said Jeff, wrapping his arm around Annie's shoulder, causing her to blush. "Good friends."

Britta rolled her eyes.

"Uh huh," said Shirley in her most disbelieving voice. "You do realize none of us are buying this."

"Guys," said Jeff, standing his ground. "You're all missing the real lesson from today. The whole game wasn't about prizes or hidden caches or wondering if your cellphone will still operate underwater. What matters is the journey. It may be a journey through the woods, or it maybe one of self-discovery. In the end, discovering something new about one's self, that ... is the real treasure."

"No, I'm with Shirley," said Britta. "Fess up, you two."

"Speaking of treasure," said Abed, intentionally bailing out Jeff, "we have some parting gifts."

"For Marvin Team," said Troy, proudly wearing his sheriff's badge, "I present to you a stuffed lobster magnet."

Pierce turned the thing in his hand. "Not Jack Daniels," he said, "but it'll do."

"How are we both supposed to own a stuffed magnet?" said the Dean.

"Fortunately, there is a lawyer in our midst who might be familiar with custody battles..."

"Just put it in the damn sandwich shop, jeez," snapped Jeff, which caused Annie to snort.

"Not a bad solution, Jeffrey," the Dean said, nodding.

"For the Atlantic Team," said Abed, "a John Elway bobblehead."

"Awwww," Annie cooed at the cute figurine.

"So who's getting custody of that?" asked Pierce.

"Oh believe me," Shirley said severely, "that ain't going to be an issue."

Annie would've been taken aback, but she thought she saw Shirley wink slyly.

"And finally," said Troy dramatically, "for Ventnor Team, something I know you'll really love... a CD of The Sign by Ace of Base."

"That's... nice," said Shirley a little dispiritedly.

"What, are you kidding?" said Britta. "I love Ace of Base! Thanks, pookie bear!"

She gave Troy a big kiss.

Annie gave Jeff a very concerned look. "Pookie bear?" She silently mouthed. Jeff just shrugged.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh!" said Britta. "You who has two pinky fingers and brought her boom box out here? This grrrrrrllll!"

"That's TWO THUMBS!" corrected Jeff.

Troy brought the boom box to the group and put the CD in. The peppy Scandinavian sounds of Ace of Base filled the air. Britta and Troy locked hands, performing an elegant routine that those not trained in dance could never hope to match.

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

Life is demanding without understanding

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong...

But where do you belong?

Jeff offered his hand. Smiling, Annie accepted. They joined the rest of the group, dancing and laughing all through the night.

END TAG

He hummed a tune as he trekked through the thick forest. It wasn't any particular tune. It was a tune he made up on the spot. Humming a licensed tune from an actual musical act? That was so cliche. And if he was anything, he was not a cliche. He was a man who lived to be original. Someone who lived to be the full potential of a human being. Or that's what he told himself.

Oh, crap. Somehow the humming had morphed into "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." He had to put a stop to that.

This area of the forest was one safe from prying eyes. He'd check the satellite maps, and the resolution in this area was terrible. Unless you severely went off the beaten path, it was pretty much guaranteed that no lost hiker or park ranger would ever come this way.

It was the perfect way to grow some incredibly potent breed of cannabis.

As he approached the location, though, he noticed that there was an aroma in the air. As if someone was lighting up a joint right now. He ran the last few yards, and came across an apocalyptic site: someone HAD come across his tiny farm, and someone HAD tripped his safeguards. His entire crop had tragically been wiped out.

Anguished, he raised his hands to his over-gelled blonde hair, then dragged his nails over his star-shaped sideburns.

"What... HOW?!"

Author's note: thanks to everyone who read and commented and enjoyed this little story! I don't usually do ensemble stories - and this wasn't going to be one initially - but I discovered I really liked writing about all the characters. The Jeff and Annie was the only one I originally had in mind. But then I realized I really wanted to write Shirley, too... and the rest just snowballed. It was exciting to write at this speed, letting the whims of the story take me to unexpected places.

Thanks again!